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Wiki-libel

I’ve always had mixed feelings about Wikipedia. I do use it, particularly when I want a quick summary of how some technology works. I like the way that thousands of people post and correct posts on thousands of topics simply for the love of it. I guess my 1960s roots are showing there. However, I don’t allow my students to use it as a source. There’s just too much room for falsehood, particularly on the controversial topics that many of them are researching.

This USA Today op-ed has just become exhibit A for why I don’t. You may remember the author, John Seigenthaler, Sr., from the Freedom Rides episode in Eyes on the Prize. That is only a short chapter in a long and fruitful life.

He’s a good man who deserves much better. And Wikipedia is going to have to evolve some more creative anti-libel procedures if it wants to continue to grow and to remain both open and trustworthy.

Posted on Wednesday, November 30, 2005 at 2:00 PM | Comments (16) | Return

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